Comparison

SpaceStationAR LITE vs Space Station Tracker

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SpaceStationAR LITE

Explore the night sky with augmented reality. This app overlays satellite passes, stars, and celestial objects onto your real-world view. Track the ISS, Starlink trains, and more, with calendar events and map visualizations.

Highlights
  • AR satellite pass simulation
  • Display of stars, galaxies, and spacecraft
  • Satellite pass visualization on maps
  • Global map of satellite orbits
  • Calendar of upcoming passes and launches
  • Offline app usage
  • Satellite pass notifications
Features
Read full description

SpaceStationAR is an augmented reality (AR) application that simulates the visibility of satellites in the night sky. With SpaceStationAR, you can easily spot the brilliant International Space Station, spectacular Starlink Trains, and various satellites at the forefront of space exploration with your own eyes. As your iPhone or iPad camera captures the scenery around you, SpaceStationAR overlays passes of the International Space Station, the Starlink Train (a group of Starlink satellites), and the Chinese Space Station onto the actual scenery. You can also use the app to find bright stars, galaxies, spacecrafts like Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, and even see the direction of major cities beyond the ground. SpaceStationAR also indicates the positions of geostationary satellites, making it a valuable tool for antenna installation. You can easily access satellite orbits on maps in addition to the AR views. The "Calendar" tab displays events like upcoming satellite passes and rocket launches within the next two weeks. You can choose a pass from the list and simulate it in AR. Apple Watch app and "Today" widget are also available. They show simple lists of satellites' passes. LITE version has some restrictions. AR prediction stops 30 minutes before the passes. Full version without Ads and with the sky chat view is available on the store. http://itunes.apple.com/app/torisat/id361194118?mt=8 List of Features * AR simulation of satellite passes overlaid on real landscapes * Display of stars, galaxies, black holes, planetary probes, satellites, and world cities in AR (Visibility can be customized by type) * Visualization of satellite passes on maps * Presentation of satellite orbits and current locations on a global map * Calendar listing satellite passes within the next two weeks * Support for newly launched satellites * Offline app usage * Satellite pass notifications: Set notification times from 15 minutes to 6 hours before the event for accurate alerts. (Please allow background location updates for precise notifications. Disabling this feature may lead to inaccurate notifications when traveling long distances with the app closed.)

About

Space Station Tracker

Follow the International Space Station's live location on a globe and get alerts for visible flyovers at your exact location. Features a compass view to help you spot it in the sky.

Highlights
  • Real-time ISS location tracking
  • Globe view with orbital trajectory
  • Upcoming visible flyover alerts
  • GPS-based viewing calculations
  • Compass view for sky spotting
  • Azimuth and elevation details
Features
Read full description

Track the International Space Station in real time and see upcoming visible flyovers for your location. ISS Tracker helps you understand where the ISS is now, when it will pass overhead, and where to look in the sky. It is designed to be simple, useful, and privacy-first. LIVE GLOBE VIEW See the current location of the ISS and its orbital path on an interactive globe. The app displays approximately one full orbit and updates the station’s position with live telemetry, including latitude, longitude, altitude, and speed in miles or kilometers. UPCOMING VISIBLE FLYOVERS Find upcoming ISS flyovers based on your location. Viewing opportunities are calculated using your location and estimated visibility, helping you identify passes that may be visible to the naked eye. FLYOVER COMPASS VIEW Use the compass view to know where to look. Each flyover includes azimuth, compass direction, and elevation details for the start, maximum elevation, and end of the pass. PRIVACY-FIRST LOCATION USE Your location is used to show your position relative to the ISS and calculate upcoming flyovers. Location is requested only while using the app, and is never sent to third parties. The app does not use analytics, advertising, or tracking. ISS Tracker is built for skywatchers, space enthusiasts, educators, students, and anyone who wants a clear way to follow the International Space Station. Questions or feedback? Contact support@pacificaconsulting.io

Screenshots

SpaceStationAR LITE4 screens
Space Station Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

SpaceStationAR LITE and Space Station Tracker both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 47% of SpaceStationAR LITE's written reviews are positive against 0% of Space Station Tracker's. SpaceStationAR LITE also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 38 months) and ratings volume (139 vs 4). Space Station Tracker's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for SpaceStationAR LITE against 4.5 for Space Station Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SpaceStationAR LITE has 139 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 47% of SpaceStationAR LITE's written reviews are positive against 0% of Space Station Tracker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SpaceStationAR LITE ships an update every 2 weeks, Space Station Tracker every 38 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
SpaceStationAR LITE versus Space Station Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpaceStationAR LITESpace Station Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (139 ratings)4.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews46.9% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings139 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 38 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperToriningen Co.,Ltd.Jaimeson Bilodeau

Customer experience

SpaceStationAR LITE

All ratings139 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral4.3%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive46.9%
Neutral9.4%
Negative43.8%

Space Station Tracker

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

SpaceStationAR LITE

No in-app purchases

None

Space Station Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SpaceStationAR LITE free?
SpaceStationAR LITE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Space Station Tracker free?
Space Station Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SpaceStationAR LITE or Space Station Tracker?
SpaceStationAR LITE and Space Station Tracker are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 139 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do SpaceStationAR LITE or Space Station Tracker have ads?
SpaceStationAR LITE shows ads; Space Station Tracker does not.
Which is updated more often, SpaceStationAR LITE or Space Station Tracker?
SpaceStationAR LITE ships an update every 2 weeks, and Space Station Tracker every 38 months. Most recently, SpaceStationAR LITE was updated on September 21, 2026 and Space Station Tracker on September 17, 2026.

Other comparisons